Oscillatory engine



1945. T. 1.. CHARD 2,389,764

OSCILLATORY ENGINE Filed June 20, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 //v VENTOH, 721F050 L. CUHHHD,

Erma/v5 Y5 NOW. 27, 1945. T CHARD OSQILLATORY ENGINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 20, 1942 TELFORD LCHHHP, fiTTOFf/VEYj Nov. 27, 1945'.

T. L. CHARD I OSCILLATORY ENGINE 5 w .3 "H" TM t m 5 w a m M E a o v 0 T N M T L H V 9 ,/L .o Y w w 6 5 H r 5 e 0 U m r m m o mom mom 4 l II. x n m m E Z s z w s z m v m u 6 2 m 2 c 3 1 w 7 I 2 6 w o r 0 6 .A\\ Z l fi mm wII' 8 I I W y 7 4 3 z I Patented Nov. 27, 1945 UNITED I STATES PATENT OFFICE OSCILLATORY ENGINE Telford L. Chard,,Indianapolis,,I nd.,-. assignor .of one-half to Lodge Y. Chard, New Castle, Ind.

Application-June 20, 1942, Serial N0.-'447',829'-" 4 Claims.

over the raceway with a'minimum amount of-friction arising by sealing means, and at the same time the plate may be readily'removed from the raceway.

Heretofore the structure of oscillatingengines as known to me embodied that construction wherein the pistons were substantially circular-in section as opposed to the substantially semicircular section of the pistons employed in my structure. The circular or cylindrical pistons of those prior engines required a split housing with the necessary accompanying complications of eifecting seals. In the structure embodying my invention, the sealing is ve simply accomplished and may be maintained by suitable adjustingof the plate in relation to the racewa in order to compensate for wear. I

These and other objects andadvantagesof the invention will become apparent to those versed in the art in the following description of one ,particular form of the invention illustrated diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a view in central, vertical, longitudinal section through a structure embodying the invention;

Fig. 2, a viewin vertical transverse section on the line 2-4 in Fig. 1; V

Fig. 3, a view in rear elevation and partial section;

Fig. 4, a detail in section on the line 4 4in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5,-a detail view on an enlarged scale in section on th e line 5-5 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6, a view in diametrical section on a further enlarged scale throughthe cover plate and raceway and Fig. 7, a diagram of the cycles ofoperation.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views in the drawings.

In the present example, a two-unit type. of engine is illustrated, it being understood that the engine may be constructed in a single unit or any multiple number of units. Referring to the drawings, each unit, generally designated by the numerals 8 and 9, includesa casing in having an annular raceway opening from one side; a pair of substantially semicircular pistons H and I2 sealably fitted to slide around the raceway; a plate 13 from whichthe pistons H and 12 extend (in the present showing, integrally therefrom) and a rocker-shaft M to which the plate I3 is removably securech The pistons H and I2 extend fromthe irmer face of the plate l3 in a, common diametrical plane normal to the inner face of the plate l3. "I'his'inner face of the plate 13 is planar.

The casing I 0 is provided with one or more sealing rings [5, herein shown as two in number, carried spaced apart slots around a peripheral portion on that .side of the casing directed toward-the inner face of the plate l3. The'casing I0 is provided with a, central portion surrounding-the rockershaft [4, in which central portion is carried .one or more sealing rings l6, herein shown as two in number, to be in contact with the central-zone of the inner -face-of the plate l3. In other words, these two sets of rings I5 and- H3 serve as the sealing meansbetween the plate-l3 and the outer and-inner marginal portions of the raceway within the casing l0.

Thepistons H and I2- are'each'provided with a s10t-=H, Fig; 6, entering from the-outer facesof the pistons .H- and I2, these slots I1 being carried on around from the respective pistons andacross the plate I3 to extend at least across the sets of rings l5 and I6. Within each slot [1 is positioned a spring member l8 and then over that spring member i8 is positioned a sealing band I 9 in the nature of a piston-ring whereby the'band l9 isyieldingly urgedagainst the surface of the raceway and also against'the rings l5 and I6, the band l9 having ends extending from each side of the'piston to carry on across therings l5 and i6. The "rings l5 and 16 are yieldingly pressed'outwardly from their respective slots by spring members 28 similar in nature to the spring members l8.

The raceway is divided diametrically into two chambers behind the plate l3 by means of a pair of abutments 21 and 22, both abutments having sealingbars 23, two-in numberin the present showing, to eXtend -slightly-from their respective abutments into yielding'contact with the inner face-of the plate l3. Referringto Fig. 3, the piston H 'may oscillate between the top-sides'of the abutments 2i and 22' whereas the piston I2 is limited tooscillation within the raceway below the abutments 2 l and 22.

The plate l3 is -secured to the shaft I 4 by any suitable means wherein a rigiddriving connection therewith is had and which connection may be adjustable longitudinally of the shaft I4. One particular means herein shown is that of a conical collar 24 engaging over the outside of the shaft |4 with a sliding fit and entering a tapered bore in the hub of the plate I3 to have a nut 25 screwthreadedly engage the shaft [4 and abut the outer end of the collar 24 to force that collar into the tapered bore provided in the plate l3. The plate I3 maybe held in any position desired in relation to the degree of pressure to be exerted against the sealing rings while the collar 24 is beingforced into the plate hub for the driving connection. As a matter of safety, and also as further sealing means, a collar 26 is screw-threadedly engaged about the outer peripheral portion of the casing l to have an inturned flange 21 extend radially inwardly on the outerside of the plate l3 for a slight distance. Where the engine is made in a large size, the presence of this collar 28 serves to prevent the plate |3 from warping or expanding out of sealing contact with the outer rings I5.

The shaft M, in the design illustrated herein, is made to be hollow and carries a crank arm 28 on one end, to which crank arm is rockably connected by its upper'end a connecting rod 29. The lowerend of this connecting rod 29 engages about a bearing on a crank throw 30 of a shaft 3| mounted in the lower bed plate 32 to have its axis parallel to the axis of the shaft l4.

On an end of the shaft 3| is fixed a spur gear 33 which is in constant mesh with another spur gear 34 that is fixed to the final drive shaft 35. Using a four-cycle system of operation, the gear 34 will be twice as large in diameter as that of the gear 33. Fixed to the shaft 35 is a cam shaft 36 extending axially into the shaft l4 and on through into the next unit, preferably supported by a bearing 31 carried by a member 38 extending upwardly from the bed plate 32. This cam shaft 36 carries for each unit 8 and 9 a pair of cams 39 and 49 to operate the valve mechanism required for each unit. In contact with the cams 39 and 49 are the upper push rods 4| and 42 respectively, Figs. 1 and 2. These push rods are slidingly. guided through a bearing 43 to extend by their upper ends against the respective rockers 44 and 45 which are supported from the housing members 46 and 38 respectively, the member 46 also carrying a bearing to support the drive shaft 35. .A second pair of rocker arms 41 and 48 bear by their respective ends under the ends of the rockers 44, 45, Fig. 2. The other ends of these rocker arms 41, 48 on the other side of their bearing 49, Fig. 4, press against push rods 50, that are guided against respective ends of a third set of rocker arms 52, 53 that in turn have their opposite arm ends bear against intake and exhaust valves 55, 54. This takes care of the intake and exhaust valve operating mechanism on the upper left-hand side of the units 8 and 9 in each instance.

Now to operate the intake and exhaust valves on the same side of the units below the abutment 22, a pair of push rods 56, 51, having their inner ends bearing respectively against the cams 39, 40, Fig. 5, are slidingly guided through a bearing 58 carried for the one unit 8 by the housing member 46 and for the other unit 9 by the member 38. The outer ends of these push rods bear respectively against the inner and outer rockers 59 and. 60 which are rockably mounted to have opposite ends bear respectively against the intake and exhaust valves 82 and B I In like manner, a pair of push rods 63, 64 bearing against the cams 39, 40 extend downwardly therefrom to be supported through a bearing 65 to have their ends in abutment with arms of rockers 66, 61 in turn having arms bearing against a second set of rockers to operate the valves 6| and 62. In any event, thedesign of the valve operating mechanism does not per se constitute the gist of the invention, The mech anism described is merel for the purpose of illustration of one particular possible form.

Spark plugs 68, 69, I0 and N, Fig. 3, are provided'respectively above and below the abutment 22 and the abutment 2| preferably adjacent the intake valves in each instance. Any suitable ignition system (not shown) may be employed to furnish current to these plugs in the proper sequence in accordance with the sequence of operations as indicated in Fig. '7, the ignition system being'omitted in order to prevent confusion in the drawings, Likewise the oiling system has been omitted for the sake of clarity in respect to the showing of the invention itself.

In the form of engine design shown, the casing I0 is provided with means for cooling, comprising a water jacket 12 extending around the raceway. Intake and exhaust manifolds l3 and 14 are provided as integral parts of the casing leading from top ports down around the casing to the respective valves.

Referring now to Fig. 7, the sequence of operations takes place as follows, the diagram having reference to one single unit. In operation number one, the spark plug has ignited the charge under the piston II to force that piston on around to exhaust gases from the other side of that piston and above the abutment 2|. At the same time the piston |2 is being carried around to pull in an intake charge under the abutment 2| and to compress a charge between it and the under side of the abutment 22, Following the completion of the limit of travel of the pistons II and I2 (this limit being determined by the throws of the cranks 28 and 30), the crank throw 30 having revolved substantially degrees, operation number two occurs wherein the spark plug fires immediately under the abutment 22 to reverse the direction of travel of the pistons H and I2 as indicated by the arrows whereby continued travel of those pistons causes the crank throw 39 on the shaft 3| to continue to turn in the same direction to complete 360 degrees of travel by the time the pistons H and 2 have again reached their limits of travel in this operation. As indicated in operation number two, Fig. '7, the piston I2 is being driven around to compress the charge previously taken in, this compression being exerted against the abutment 2|, while the piston H is exhausting the raceway between it and the abutment 22.

This operation number three occurs whereby the spark plug fires immediately under the abutment 2| to drive the piston 12 back again to the left, Fig. 7, to exhaust that space between it and theabutment 22 while the piston H is pulling in a charge behind it and above the abutment 22 and compressing th previously taken in charge between it and the abutment 2|. The shaft 3| in the meantime is traveling another 180 degrees,

always in the same direction of rotation, while the shaft [4 is oscillating under the impulses set up by the pistons in reversing their travel. Finally, operation number four completes the cycles wherein pisto ll is pushed away from the abutment 2! upon the firing of the plu thereadjacent to cause the charge to be compressed between the forward side of the piston H and the abutment 22, all while the piston I 2 simultaneously pulls in a new charge behind it and exhausts the raceway between it and the under side of the abutment 2|.

While I have herein shown and described my invention in the one particular form as now best known to me, it is obvious that structural variations may be employed, particularly in th valve operating mechanism, the particular structure for supporting the various members and driving shafts, all without departing from the spirit of the invention and I therefore do not desire to be limited to that precise form beyond the limitations as may be imposed by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In an oscillatory engine, the combination of a casing having an annular raceway opening on a side thereof; a cover plate revoluble over said raceway; pistons fixed to and extending from said plate into said raceway; a fixed abutment across said raceway between said pistons; a rocker shaft mounted axially of said raceway and drivingly engaged with said plate; a crankshaft; and a connecting rod interconnecting with said rocker shaft and said crankshaft; and a collar encircling said plate about its peripheral margin and detachably engaging said plate, said collar being formed to limit movement of the plate away from said casing.

2. In an oscillatory engine, a relatively fixed casing having an annular raceway opening from a casing side; a plate covering said raceway; means mounting the plate to permit oscillation about said casing axially of said raceway; a piston fixed to said plat and slidingly fitting within said raceway; and spaced apart abutments carried by said casing, between which abutments said piston may travel.

3. In an oscillatory engine, a relatively fixed casing having an annular raceway opening from a casing side; a plate covering said raceway; means mounting the plate to permit oscillation thereof about said casing axially of said raceway; a piston fixed to said plate and. slidingly fitting within said raceway; spaced apart abutments carried by said casing, between which abutments said piston may travel; and means carried by said casing limiting axial travel of said plate from said casing.

4. In an oscillatory engine, a relatively fixed casing having an annular raceway opening from a casing side; a plate covering said raceway; means mounting the plate to permit oscillation thereof about said casing axially of said raceway; a piston fixed to said plate and slidingly fitting within said raceway; spaced apart abutments across said raceway carried by said casing, between which abutments said piston may travel; and means carried by said casing limiting axial travel of said plate from said casing; said means comprising a ring adjustably engaging said casing and extending in part radially inwardly over the outer face of the peripheral portion of said plate.

TELFORD L. CHARD. 

